Keep in mind that paper will absorb some of the paint, so your finished work won’t be as vivid as it would if you used a non-porous surface like primed canvas or wood. If you use thinner paper, it will wrinkle or warp, and it may tear.
Try starting with the 3 primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—plus black and white. [6] X Research source Or, if you prefer a more natural palette, you might start with white, yellow, red, brown, and blue. [7] X Research source If the paint is in a jar, scoop out a small amount with a palette knife.
Lighten a color without changing its opacity by mixing it with a little white paint. [9] X Research source Similarly, make your color darker by mixing it with dark blue or brown paint. [10] X Research source Try looking at a color wheel while you’re working. For example, if you look at a color wheel, you’ll see that mixing red and yellow will give you a bright orange. [11] X Expert Source Kelly MedfordProfessional Artist Expert Interview. 2 July 2019. Work quickly as you’re mixing paints, since acrylic paints dry out quickly. [12] X Research source
If the paint dries in your palette, add more of the same color on top of it. If the dried paint is too built up, you can also scrape it out to get a fresh start.
If you have a large background area, you may want to put down the base color after you paint your outlines. Then, fill in any details later in the process. You might find it helpful to work with opaque acrylic colors while painting outlines—typically, this will be color straight from the tube. Then, when you’re detailing the painting, work with more transparent colors, or paint that’s been thinned with water or a thinning medium.
For example, once you’ve contoured the large mountain peaks, use smaller, more pointed brushes for filling in details like individual trees, a lake, or campers on the shore.
Round brushes for lines and detail work Flat brushes for making big, bold strokes and filling in large spaces Fan brushes for blending and feathering Angular flat brushes for filling in corners and fine details
For instance, you might dry brush the ground in your painting to create the appearance of grass. If you’re dry brushing, be sure to blot the brush dry thoroughly if you rinse it between colors. [20] X Research source
When you’re mixing acrylic paint with water, don’t add more than about 20% water compared to the paint. If you use more than that, the binding agent that makes the paint stick to the surface might fail, causing the paint to peel off once it’s dry.
Glazes will give the dried paint a satiny color and a bright, shiny texture. Texture pastes add a rough, chunky texture to the paint, but may dampen the color a bit after drying. Don’t use more than about 30% of your chosen medium, or else the paint might not coat the surface of your canvas.
You’ll get the smoothest transition if both of the colors are wet while you’re working. However, if you want a more textured look, lay down the darker color, let it dry, then brush the lighter color over it.
Leave enough time for each layer of paint to dry before you paint another layer over it. Thin layers will dry in about 30 minutes, while thick layers will take over 1 hour to dry.
Acrylic paints don’t mix once they’ve dried. If you start painting with the lightest colors first, then go over them with darker colors, the darker colors will just cover up the lighter paint—they won’t become lighter. This is just a general rule—sometimes if you add too much highlight, you may need to go in and fill in a little detail with a darker color. That’s totally fine! If you’re used to working with watercolors, you’ll notice that this is the opposite of that process, where you always work from lightest to darkest.
Splattering is a great technique to use if you’re making an abstract art piece. Or, try splattering to add texture to your painting. Try holding the brush about 2–3 in (5. 1–7. 6 cm) from the canvas to control the spatter area. You can also use masking tape to block off any areas you don’t want splattered.
When you’re stippling, never slide the bristles along the canvas. This will smear the stipples together and ruin the effect. You can also dip a sponge in paint, then dab the sponge lightly on the canvas to create a bubbly effect.
This technique would work well for the sharp sides of a mountain peak or the clean lines of a building.
You could also just apply new, wet paint directly over the dried paints. It’s best to use the same color as the dried paint—the colors won’t mix once the paint is dry, but it might be hard to see exactly what color you’re using if you layer different colors over the dried paint. If the paints are still very wet, you might be able to just wipe them out of the palette with a damp paper towel. [30] X Research source
